1. What is President Trump demanding from Denmark regarding Greenland?
Mr. Trump is seeking “immediate negotiations” for the United States to acquire Greenland, the Denmark-controlled Arctic island. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, he gave European partners an ultimatum: hand over Greenland voluntarily and receive appreciation, or refuse and face consequences he would “remember.”
2. Will Mr. Trump use military force to take control of Greenland?
No. Mr. Trump explicitly ruled out using force multiple times, stating, “I don’t have to use force. I don’t want to use force. I won’t use force.” He later reinforced this at a meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, saying, “The military’s not on the table. I don’t think it will be necessary.”
3. Why does Mr. Trump say the United States needs Greenland?
Mr. Trump argues that controlling Greenland would keep Russia and China at bay and provide world protection. He claims the U.S. already had Greenland as a trustee after World War II and effectively returned it to European control after defeating the Axis powers, characterizing his pursuit as correcting that decision. He also said no other nation can adequately defend Greenland, pointing to Denmark’s inability to resist Nazi Germany’s attack in the 1940s.
SEE ALSO: Trump rules out military force to take over Greenland, demands immediate acquisition talks
4. How are European leaders and others responding to Mr. Trump’s Greenland demands?
Mr. Trump’s plan is causing tension at Davos, with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, French President Emmanuel Macron and others scrambling to devise a coordinated response. The push has sparked protests in Greenland and Copenhagen, and some onlookers in Switzerland gave Mr. Trump’s motorcade the middle finger. Congressional pushback includes Republicans worried about upsetting NATO and Democrats, such as Rep. Robert Garcia, calling the threats “deranged.”
5. What else did Mr. Trump address in his Davos speech beyond Greenland?
Mr. Trump touted U.S. economic success, claiming the economy is booming, inflation is defeated, and the stock market is hitting record highs. He criticized Europe for unchecked migration, government spending, and climate-friendly energy policies he called “the green new scam.” He also said NATO and European nations need to do more to resolve the Ukraine conflict, and he attacked Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney for being ungrateful despite Canada getting “a lot of freebies” from the U.S.
This article is written with the assistance of generative artificial intelligence based solely on Washington Times original reporting and wire services. For more information, please read our AI policy or contact Steve Fink, Director of Artificial Intelligence, at sfink@washingtontimes.com
The Washington Times AI Ethics Newsroom Committee can be reached at aispotlight@washingtontimes.com.
